Drop off letters to Santa Monday, Nov. 21, to Friday, Dec. 9, at the special Santa Mailbox at Cary Town Hall, 316 N. Academy St. Include the child’s name and address on each letter in order to receive a response from Santa. For more information: 919-319-4560, bit.ly/1GWZMCJ.

A Doorway to Hope

A Doorway to Hope’s Angel Tree Project is seeking families or groups to “adopt” and provide holiday gifts for low-income working families in crisis. Grocery store gift cards and monetary contributions also are requested. For more information, go to bit.ly/2fkKyLC.

Tuesday

Food drives

▪ /The Fuquay-Varina Fire Department is collecting non-perishable food items through Dec. 12 for the Fuquay-Varina Emergency Food Bank. Donations can be dropped off at any fire station or Town Hall. fuquay-varina.org

▪ Coworking Station, 104 W. Ballentine St., Holly Springs, is holding a food drive in November for the Holly Springs Food Cupboard. Non-perishable food items can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Free day passes to the coworking space will be given for donations of three items or more. coworkingstation.com

Wednesday

Gingerbread house contest

Registration is due for the sixth annual Gingerbread House Competition from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at participating downtown Cary businesses. Winning houses will be on display throughout December at the Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave. Honorable mention entries will be on display Dec. 6-16 at The Cary Theater, 122 E. Chatham St. 919-319-4560, bit.ly/1GWZMCJcary

Thursday

Thanksgiving holiday

Closings: Town offices in Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs and Morrisville are closed Thursday, Nov. 24, and Friday, Nov. 25, in observance of Thanksgiving. Town facilities, including community and arts centers, also are closed both days. Wake County public libraries close at 6 p.m. Wed., Nov. 23, and will be closed Thursday and Friday. County parks are closed Thursday. GoCary transport service will not operate Thursday.

Garbage collection: In Apex, Holly Springs and Morrisville, solid waste and recycling collection is delayed by one day. Thursday routes will be collected Friday; Friday routes will be collected Saturday. In Fuquay-Varina, Thursday routes will be collected Friday.

In Cary, garbage, recycling and yard waste collection for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday customers is one day earlier. Friday’s collection is unchanged. The Citizen’s Convenience Center, 313 N. Dixon Ave., is closed Thursday. All Wake County convenience centers and landfills are closed Thursday.

Friday

Final Friday

The Cary Art Loop’s monthly Final Friday art walk showcases art and culture from 6-9 p.m. Food trucks and live performances will be featured at select events. For more information, go to caryartloop.org.

The annual Victorian Christmas in the Square and tree lighting festivities are 3:30-6:30 p.m. at Crossroads Plaza shopping center, 213 Crossroads Blvd., Cary. The event will feature carolers, food samplings and a visit from Santa and his reindeer. shopcrossroadsplaza.com

Farmers markets

▪ The Cary Downtown Farmers Market is open 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 135 W. Chatham St. caryfarmersmarket.com

▪ The Western Wake Farmers’ Market is open 8 a.m. to noon at 101 Gathering Park Circle, Cary. wwfm.ag